Padmavati row: Shatrughan Sinha comes out in support of Rajput community

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Shatrughan Sinha on Friday said filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali must show his magnum opus 'Padmavati' to the Rajput community before the release.

Sinha's comment has come in the backdrop of the protests the movie has been facing for alleged tampering of historical facts.

"If Bhansali has committed the Rajput or any other community for showing them the movie before the release, then he must do that. The warrior or the Rajput communities are good people and are the witnesses of history. If there is nothing in the movie which hurts the sentiments, valour, loyalty of the great Rajputs, then Bhansali must show them the movie. If the distortion of facts is done, then its not good," Sinha told the media.

He also called out Bhansali, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Minister of Information and Broadcasting Smriti Irani for keeping mum on the whole issue.

"The situation has become very livid. The situation is getting worse day by day. I appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Minister of Information and Broadcasting Smriti Irani, and Sanjay Leela Bhansali to intervene in this matter. Bhansali must come forward and must clarify the whole issue," he added.

Earlier in the day, a body was found hanging on the ramparts of Jaipur's Nahargarh Fort, with a threat note engraved on the a rock in protest of the movie 'Padmavati'.

Bhansali has denied the alleged tampering with historical facts in the movie repeatedly. The film features Deepika Padukone in the title role as Rani Padmavati, alongside Shahid Kapoor as Maharawal Ratan Singh and Ranveer Singh as Sultan Alauddin Khilji.

Meanwhile, the release of the film, which was earlier slated for December 1, was deferred as the filmmakers were yet to procure a censor certificate.